I guess local news of the week is that our MP Laura Sandys
won’t be standing at the next general election in about eighteen months time.
Talking to local people, which is what I usually do before
writing blog posts, I don’t seemed to have nailed as much of an overall view on
this one as I had expected, rather like the judgment on the TDC Labour
administration, which runs along the lines of most of the serious Ramsgate
problems still remain.
Nationally politically neither Labour nor the Conservatives
seem to coming up with the goods with the traditional Conservative voters
seemingly most. Not quite sure what the word is here. Disappointed,
disillusioned, dissatisfied, displeased, discontented, perhaps just dis.
UKIP commissioned a Survation Poll here in Thanet south
putting Labour in first place with 35% (up nearly five percentage points on the
general election), Ukip second on 30% (up 24 points), the Tories third on 28%
(down 20 points) and the Liberal Democrats fourth on 5% (down 10 points).
Here are the full results http://survation.com/2013/11/new-constituency-polling-in-south-thanet/
Here are the full results http://survation.com/2013/11/new-constituency-polling-in-south-thanet/
515 Thanet people were questioned between 19 and 25 November
I think the main objective being to decide whether it would be the best place
to put up Nigel Farage as UKIP candidate here.
I think the timing of Laura’s standing down means that it
wouldn’t have made much difference to the results of the poll and talking to
local voters it is very hard to tell if it would have made much difference to the
poll result.
I do hope the Conservatives see this a bit of a wake up call
for Thanet South and especially Ramsgate where we have some serious problems,
not the least of which is that most of the publicly owned waterfront, which is
most of the waterfront is derelict deserted and a disaster.
I guess there must be some way of resolving these problems,
perhaps being an important marginal will focus some attention on Ramsgate.
On to the sad tale of the toaster
About a month ago out toaster conked out and I remembered
that someone – who had better remain nameless – had given us a new one as a
gift, this was a good make, expensive toaster – which had better remain
nameless too.
This toaster worked ok on very small slices, but the normal
family Kingsmill loaf that seems to have replaced Mothers Pride on the
supermarket shelves has fairly large slices only got about a third of the areas
toasted.
Frustrated by this problem I went late night shopping at
Tesco, the big WC one as this is where the most toasters of all sorts of
different makes are on display.
Armed with a piece of cardboard the same size as a slice of
Kingsmill bread I discovered that while the size of bread slices seems to have
increased, the toasting area of toasters seems to have decreased.
I finally settled for Tesco’s own make toaster cost £10 http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-4t10-4-slice-long-slot-toaster-white/208-2969.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=208-2969 this
has two long slots that are supposed to take two slices of bread each and will take
one slice of large modern bread in each slot if the slice is on its side.
As you can see overall toasting of the entire slice can be achieved
in this way, anyone else have the same problem?
Speculating here on the ins and outs of life I wonder whether more people give more attention to their toaster or who they vote for, I guess it depends if it works ok – the toaster that is – we all know that government doesn’t work ok regardless of who you vote for.
Michael, I think the evidence around the blog sites would suggest that Laura Sandys was highly regarded even by people like Ian Driver and Louise Oldfield, who would not be counted normally as Conservative supporters. Within Conservatives ranks and floaters she had built up a strong personal following. As Ian Driver said, she will be a hard act to follow and an even harder one for the Conservatives match with a new candidate on this notice.
ReplyDeleteIn general elections, national issues tend to be far more important than local. Typically in 2010, disenchantment with Labour at Westminster out weighed disenchantment with the Conservative administration at TDC and Steve Ladyman was ousted. Much will depend on the economy, feel good factor and the usual political scandals and own goals between now and May 2015.
Who UKIP put up here will also be even more of a factor now and an experienced campaigner like Nigel Farage would be a tougher proposition for both Will Scobie and the new Conservative candidate than Trevor Shonk proved to be in 2010. No disrespect to Trevor but he is not in that league.
On your toaster comparison, well we live in a throw away society and both toasters and MPs can find their way to the dump.
William no criticism of Laura – who I personally have found a very pleasant person – I don’t think it would be easy to find anyone who didn’t find her personally charming.
DeleteSo yes I agree she is a very nice person, whether given the local problems, having a MP who is a very nice person helps, I don’t really know.
As I said, talking to the locals the main issue seems to be, the main Ramsgate problems still remain, whether she or any other MP could or will be able to anything about them, I just don’t know.
Like I said, Michael, it is too early to call yet, but I maintain that general elections are very different to local. In 2010 here, the Conservative took the seat with a 7,000 plus majority yet, just a year later in 2011, they suffered badly in Ramsgate in the district and town council elections. Having done the door knocking, I know it is much easier to get folk out to vote in the big one, so general and local elections are very different ball games.
DeleteWilliam, I think next time around the locals and the general are on the same day, I am not sure how this would effect the local result assuming that most of the voters would probably vote for the same party in both cases.
DeleteAt the moment I would guess a Labour MP and no overall majority at TDC with UKIP holding the balance of power, but everything could change significantly in eighteen months, especially if the local politicians sort out some of the problems in marginal areas, which I think in both cases is mostly Ramsgate.
My guess is that Cllr Driver is bringing the Labour and Conservative croups closer to working together towards this end at TDC.
I would think the national will have greater impact on the local result than the other way round. Personally I think it is far too early to predict MP or local, but UKIP could have a major impact.. It will get more exciting in the final six months and then, let us hope, we can have some decent debates.
DeleteWilliam I guess at the moment the focus in Ramsgate, which as I said is where I think the marginal voters are concentrated, is on the foreshore publicly owned property. While I agree that what happens at national level may be decisive, if the vote is close then I think it may be the local issues that swing it.
DeleteWith the record of things (Pleasurama, pavillion, Westcliff Hall, Albion House, Maritime Museum and now Port Ramsgate) getting markedly worse, under all situations (Labour and Conservative administrations at TDC, Labour and Conservative MPs) combined with the national issues that effect the country’s less prosperous towns like Ramsgate (town centre contraction, poor local housing creeping into the town centre, antisocial behaviour) the question has become increasingly not so much who one votes for but who one votes to keep out.
Neither party at either level seems to have anything much in the way of a plan for Ramsgate. There is always the transport hub solution for both the port and airport, however fifty years of various failures have given us the indication that this doesn’t work because most of the spokes of the wheel are seawater and fish don’t spend much money. The solve our problems this way mantra doesn’t work anymore.
I guess most people are aware of the lack of leisure destinations in this part of the UK and although it is fairly insignificant how much The Turner Contemporary has contributed to Margate’s regeneration. So given the vacant lots, especially Port Ramsgate, which is the largest, there may be some mileage in considering these.
Perhaps an MP who is actually quite narsty, breathing fire down necks at TDC, KCC and Westminster, to actually get something done about these problems is what is needed.
Agree with you about Ramsgate being the key, but nothing can be taken for granted at the moment. Broadstairs, solid Tory for years apart from Beacon Road Ward, currently having one Labour and one Tory at District, went UKIP at the county election and Labour have just, almost unbelievably, taken a seat in Sandwich, albeit on a miniscule turnout. With such apathy anything is possible.
DeleteSeems to me that the perception in Ramsgate is that it has suffered equally under both main parties at TDC so who does one choose? If you want a nasty to kick some butt at TDC, that description would hardly fit Laura or Will, indeed it sort of puts Ian Driver in the frame, but can you see South Thanet electing a Green MP?
Still think it is anyone's call at the moment, but it might firm up a bit as we get closer to May 2015.
I think there was a local consideration William re Dr Ladyman loss of vote. His constituency casework. I don't think he came close to Aitken for actually helping constituents. He even won respect for ensuring that striking miners got access to his constituency surgery without the police being around to taint the atmosphere. I still have to smile about Aitken. He was a reckless sod. But it was really helpful, when he thought a constituent was in the right, because he would be reckless on the constituent's behalf.
DeleteThey say of Schindler that he was a rogue who defrauded the Nazi Regime of grant aid to his industry which made stuff the Nazis didn't really need. But he was a rogue who could be made no worse than he knew himself to be. It was pure parable of the talents that he deployed his con man talents to save those Jews from the holocaust.
To me that is also Aitken. He had no self delusions. A rogue if you like who had a moral line below which he would not sink. Hence he was conducting constituency case work that Ladyman later refused to carry on.
Aitken let right be done. Ladyman let left alone be done.
So I think UKIP can win Thanet South. But if the tories bring in someone (especially a chap Holyer would be loathe to describe as perfectly decent) who is a fighter the tories can take it. I think the local issues especially Ramsgate seafront will be key.
Interesting points, Anon, and although I moved back to Thanet after Jonathan Aitken's demise, I have heard of the fights he put up for constituents, You could be right about a fighter being the Conservatives best chance, but in our PC world where there is a desire to be less 'nasty' such people do not grow on trees, or, to be more precise, get selected as candidates.
DeleteAlthough Ladyman's poor reputation on constituency work may have played a part, he still fell with the national trend. He took the seat in 1997 in line with the great New Labour surge, saw his majority dwindle over the next two elections as did also the Labour majority in the Commons and then lost as Brown lost the general election in 2010.
Agree with you that UKIP could win, especially if Farage stands here, but their media image is getting increasingly tarnished thanks to some very loose canons they have in their ranks. Nationally Labour's lead over the Tories in the polls is down to 4% from the heady double figures of a short time ago and one poll gives them just 1%, so it is all in the lap of the Gods at the moment. Personally, I very much doubt Ramsgate sea front will play much of a role in a national election, but if Poole's performance so far were a factor, then you would hardly find that enhancing Labour prospects.
Anon 1:21 PM,
DeleteThat was a gratuitous remark. Keep my name out of it, you creep, at least until you pluck up the courage to use your own name.
Public perception being what it is in Ramsgate, getting TDC to divide a dwindling plot fairly is what the majority of my neighbors want.
ReplyDeleteI doubt anything will have been resolved over Pleasurama by 2015 the only hope is the Pavilion gets sorted before next summer.
In my view Laura would have won the seat in 2015.
ReplyDeleteLovely picture of her, Michael.
Thanks John, I like photographing people, up until Laura said she wasn’t going to stand and the poll I had very much seen it as a two horse race between two decent candidates, her and Will.
DeleteI guess now I am wondering if the present situation where we have a marginal seat that is likely to be fiercely contested, with the majority of the floating vote probably in Ramsgate, if there is any potential to get the national government to deal with some of the very real problems here.
Peter believe me when I say that having young children means that you need a reliable toaster, using the grill would mean that I was often aware my toast was done when the smoke detector alarm went off.
ReplyDeleteToday there is a piece about the Pavilion in the Guardian so it seems Ramsgate makes the dailys. Now if only they would get stuck in over Pleasurama
ReplyDeleteBarry,
ReplyDeleteI can't find it online. Are you able to give me the gist of the article, please?
someone posted article in FORS by photographing the page. Are you still on FB I can post to your timeline.
DeleteBasically its about what has been proposed from both sides with the Victorian Society saying get on with it
sent it to you john it maybe too small
DeleteBarry click here for the article
DeleteBarry,
ReplyDeleteThank you. There is no need to post it to my Timeline, I rarely use FB these days. The Victorian Society advised us on the FCO restoration. I have much regard for them.
Congrats to Friends of Ellington Park on winning £50K
ReplyDeleteWell done, Ellington Park.
ReplyDeleteSave money by buying Tesco own brand Everyday bread at around half the price of Kingsmill. It fits all toasters known to man and booksellers and as you know, every little helps.
ReplyDeleteColin, Peter the issue here is having schoolchildren and what they will eat, the various cheap breads don’t get eaten up if I buy them, the Kingsmill does. I often get myself a wholemeal loaf, which I prefer, but they don’t eat that either.
DeleteMostly I toast what's there.
Have a go and vote on IOTG poll
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/say-party-gets-vote-Thanet-South/story-20236895-detail/story.html
currently 7:50 UKIP in the lead followed by Labour and then Conservatives.
DeleteOr any other political site so far 40 people maybe voted
DeletePeter looking at the results today I suspect that the link has been posted on a UKIP site. I would have thought tho the link could also have been placed equally on a tory or Labour site
DeleteThe percentages indicate that the total number of voters are a multiple of 38. So maybe only 38 did vote, but it could be 76, 114, etc. My bet is on 38.
ReplyDeletePolls? One published the other day for Thanet South showing Labour in the lead and UKIP having pushed the Conservatives into third place, was a straw poll of 500 people commissioned by UKIP. Wonder what reliability one could place on that.
ReplyDeleteWilliam I sort of see where you are coming from, but the result doesn’t really seem to support UKIP adjusting the figures in some way. Getting a polling company to phone up 500 people and produce the result that Labour would win, doesn’t have rigged sound to it.
DeleteThe result also supports what I am hearing on a day to day basis, which is that people like Will Scobie and intend to vote for him.
I guess though that the UKIP result in the county elections does have to be taken seriously as it does show that a lot of Thanet voters will vote UKIP when the occasion presents itself.
You could well be right, Peter, but too many unknowns to make a real prediction at this time. The economy will play a major part in determining the popularity of the two main parties in the run up to 2015, who UKIP put up in South Thanet is another big factor and an experienced campaigner like Nigel Farage will be likely to expose Will's inexperience, particularly on the public debates, and then there is the unknown question over who will replace Laura Sandys. Other people/parties throwing their hat in the ring could still further split votes and loyalties. Supposing Ian Driver, who is heralded by some as the champion of causes, stands for the Green Party, which tends to be left of Labour, who would he take votes from? Hardly the Conservatives I would suggest?
DeleteLook forward to debating this with you later as the pieces of the puzzle become more obvious.
Michael, I was not suggesting the poll was rigged but that at just 500 it is too small, not to mention far too early, to carry much resemblance to what might happen in 2015. As for your poll of book shop customers, I wonder if your book shop was in Broadstairs or Sandwich you would find a majority favouring Will? Somehow I doubt it.
DeleteUKIP is a big factor in determining this possible outcome, not just in respect of who they put up as a candidate, but also their overall popularity as the next year or so unfolds. Will could win, but he has to turn over a 7,000 plus majority and a lot depends whether UKIP helps or hinders him in that and the perception of his party over the next eighteen months at national and local level. With friends like Hart and Poole who needs enemies!
Putting to one side the as yet unknown Conservative PPC, Nigel Farage would be a formidable candidate. He is charismatic, a powerful speaker, talks common sense and comes across as an honest straight talking politician. In addition he had a proper job for twenty years and has a proven administrative talent. Will is none of these things.
DeleteAnd for the benefit of my daft critical anon: Nigel Farage is also a perfectly decent man. I appreciate that in your lexicon decent is a pejorative term. This suggests to me that you are the sort of person who regards himself to be some kind of hard hitting, no nonsense go getter: a shouting, pusher and shover. Rather than a leader which is what Thanet needs. Nigel Farage displays all the qualities of a leader. And before you get funny - Churchill was a leader and Hitler was not. Hitler was a bellowing pusher and shover. Churchill was also a perfectly decent man.
Peter, there you go again kicking off with a broad assumption. I think rather more than a few old men would like their political representatives to have had some experience, which is precisely why the majority leaders in all walks of life, not just politics tend to be middle aged upwards. You do not find corporate CEOs, Chief Constables or generals in their 20s.
DeleteHowever, let me pose another angle on this question. Supposing the Conservatives or UKIP put up a 25 year old Thanet resident graduate as their candidate. You never know what is round the next corner.
Peter, I don't have to go out for I have three daughters at home aged 18 to 24 as well as their numerous friends who visit. All three of my girls would have preferred Laura to Will, but now it remains to be seen who the candidates are.
DeleteAs for policies, well Will presumably has those of the Labour party so it depends how popular they are come May 2015.
Will must do what he is told by the Labour Party apparatchiks. What choice does he have. He has no experience on which to draw to create his own policies.
DeleteJohn You introduce other peoples' names to the forum yet object when someone does it with your name.
DeleteWillie Whitelaw. WW2 he lost a number of men as a young Army Officer. First encounter with battle hardened Germans. He spent a lifetime asking himself should he have studied harder during his training. Should he have avoided larking about as much as he did during training. That is a man. When tested we all make mistakes , But not everyone examines their own soul and carries it forward in life.
Your test of whether or not a person is "Perfectly decent" is a sign of your immaturity.
Napoleon's ass. The one member of Napoleons team who had served longest. When asked at Waterloo how to deal with Wellington the ass advised Napoleon "Hee haw".
How would you, John, have advised Mr Aitken on the "Perfectly decent" line to take as Defence Procurement minister. The USA is busily disembowelling the reputation of UK manufacture, with massive actions for recovery of money for the supply of equipment to US Forces that was sub standard. using evidence of UK manufacturer management orchestrated falsification of factory quality control and test records. And across the minister desk reported via a tory minister further reports of this practice in other UK manufacturers. Feed the manufacturers to the wolves in overseas customer courts ? Or keep it quiet to protect UK interests ? What about those manufacturers also supplying UK Armed Forces ? What about addressing the problem and protecting UK export sales ?
Life does not throw up neat little choices. The wrong choice or the perfectly decent choice.
If only it did. The Masonic ethic, as interpreted by lower degrees, is "Family first, job second, nation third"
Simple then the perfectly decent thing to do is to ensure you stay in work and thus keep your family. When your employer tells you to lie or to keep quiet or to sign a false record you do it.
But that is thinking as a child. So perfectly decently option appears tantalisingly easy. What if the lie or the false record you signed led to a failure of a life support system at a hospital and it was your child who lost their life ? Oh dear you failed to put family first. So what makes the perfect aslar ? Someone who thinks of all mankind as his family and thus must put all mankind first. Bit difficult when other mankind don't see it the same way and want to kill you ? You could become a perfectly decent conscientious objector. But I ain't seen a conchie yet who said No to the benefit won by the fighting the British armed forces did on his behalf.
If only life was as simple as John Holyer represents it.
Clearly not a Mason, anon, and a very jaundiced view of Masonic ethics. In essence it is just a blokes club, aging like most blokes' clubs, where a few well meaning chaps gather together, rush through a ritual and then adjourn to the serious business of food, drink and lively banter.
DeleteAmongst the muddled thinking you make some points, 12:58, but too confused to carry the day. Loved the conchie bit, but in this day, with RBL club memberships dwindling to the extent they have to recruit non veterans, I suspect there are a few enjoying pints in bars set up to remember those that made it possibly.
Anon 12:58. I hope you enjoyed your ramble it was a nice day for it.
DeletePeter, had to back track a bit there to see which of my comments you were responding to. Agree with you that the Greens nationally have probably peaked, they are about right for Brighton, but elsewhere they are unlikely to attract much of a following. Here though, there is the Driver factor and there is no disputing his has some support because of the disenchantment, particularly in Ramsgate, with TDC.
DeleteOnly speculating, for he may have no ambitions to run for parliament, but if he does throw his hat in the ring he could take some votes.
One in five people in Thanet South are retired. That sounds like a lot of old people votes and they tend to have a better record on turning out on polling days than the young. If you support Will, Peter, don't think he will thank you for dismissing the elderly as bitter.
ReplyDeletePeter,
DeleteAs you usual you find it hard to get to the heart of a subject and, consequently, your remarks are rarely germane.
You have a natural inclination to be argumentative. Maybe this is just for the hell of it, or because you are perpetually angry. In my view this a shame bearing in mind that you probably have an enlightened point of view on some subjects.
Peter,
DeleteI take your point about having policies. We can all have policies. The trick is to have the correct ones and the ability to implement them. And this is where experience comes in.
Peter,
DeleteYour 11:40pm,
oops sorry. Thank you.
Peter, where exactly did I dismiss all young people as unsuitable. I merely suggested that many older voters would tend to prefer someone with a bit of experience.
DeleteAnnoying, but hardly debate is it? Have we reached any conclusion other than you are a bit of a tit, Peter. The point you made was that only a few bitter old men are bothered about experience whereas I suggested there are actually quiet a lot of such folk and that they are more likely to vote than the younger generations. Still think young Will would be better off without your vocal support.
DeleteSo Will Scobie supporters call people bum face when they are losing the argument. Charming!
DeletePeter,
ReplyDeleteThere you go again, scratching around for insults, firing them from the hip and missing.
You say, erroneously, "Hardly anyone cares whether they've had "proper" jobs or not, just a few bitter old men". Peter, you are in you 50s. You are certainly not a young man any more. In a few years you will be classed as an old man. The teenagers probably already regard you as such.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteNo Peter, I was right to say what I did. My comment described you acurately. I removed it because I felt that I had chided you enough for today. But I will reserve my deleted comment for another day.
DeletePeter, your 11:59
DeleteOK and in return can you please make it clear to whom your comments are fired. It will save me having a go at you.
I understand, Peter. It was clear to you so it follows that it must be clear to everyone else. This positions you as the lowest common denominator.
DeletePeter, I know how blog comments work but the workings of your mind frequently cloud the issue.
DeleteI think we are all influenced by impressions, gut feelings or, as you put it, vibes Typically the Conservative candidate in Thanet South before Laura, left me cold when he twice called at my door in the run up to the elections won by Ladyman. Laura, on the other hand, I found so full of infectious enthusiasm that I turned out canvassing, knocking on doors and delivering leaflets for her. I think the previous guy, whose name I do not even remember, was possibly younger than Laura, but it was the difference in their personalities rather than age that influenced me.
ReplyDeleteToo much has already been said about age over Will Scobie's candidacy and, when it comes to voting, I doubt it will really make a great deal of difference. Some will like him as a potential breath of fresh ideas whilst others will find him a bit too young for their liking. Still think in the final analysis though it will be more about the popularity of parties at national level than local personalities.
Peter,
ReplyDeleteApart from your bragging you make a point with which I can agree. I do not know how much you have read on this subject, but I suggest that you try Colin Wilson's books.
William,
ReplyDeleteLaura made the same impression on me. I too went out canvassing with her and enjoyed every moment.
excuse me don't you read mine Peter.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Peter hadn't known that existed. Michael has mine linked on side bar however it does slide down rapidly.
ReplyDeleteWho blogs on Ramsgate matters as I didnt know that existed
I think we need a new one. Get Ramsgate matters up and running. I'll contact him
ReplyDeletedoes that mean we are both in opposition or does that apply to the main writer of the blog? :)
ReplyDeletePeter, it is not without significance that the Labour bloggers all stopped about the same time, so it may have been a local party directive. You will recall, of course, that Mark Nottingham was the most prolific Labour blogger, but he rather got shafted to make way for Ian Driver. Smart move that!
ReplyDeleteSimon Moores has been pretty consistent now for some years, though a bit more wide reaching in topics than just politics whilst Ken Gregory has recently returned with his Village Voices. James Maskell has been quiet for a while, but his blog had a blue tint. Cannot think of any more Conservative blogs.
Interesting that Holyer now confirmed himself as a Tory activist xand with Tory councillor Epps this blog is increasing its narrowness and bias.
ReplyDeleteBit OTT suggesting 8:33 actually has a point of view, Peter, for I think it just pops up to slag other people off. Love the way though that if you deliver a few leaflets you are a Tory activist.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Peter, but James blogged more when the Conservatives were in office than he does now they are the opposition. On others, there has been a certain apathy round the blogs, which we have mentioned before, and some hijacking by the spoilers, trolls and conspiracy theorists. Hopefully debate will improve as the elections get nearer.
ReplyDeleteHave started a new blog promote-ramsgate.blogspot.co.uk what would be good if people could pass on good news for Ramsgate else it will be all doom and gloom
ReplyDeleteMaskell is the supermarket checkout chap who quit the tories? What does he know about anything or politics? He must be the only thanet tory under 70 though
ReplyDeleteMaskell is the chap who challenged you over your silly arrests manifesto in 2009 to which you never responded. Think he knows a bit more than you. Love the bit about him quitting the Tories but still being the only one under 70. TIME TO ENGAGE BRAIN.
DeleteEpps anon at 10:50. What a twit.
DeleteGarbutt anon at 10.56. What a fruit & nut case.
DeleteEpps again anon 1105 and more obsessed with Tim than Holyer. What a nutter.
DeleteYes who said I was left wing peter just because tory activists like Epps stir up trouble. And if an activist isnt delivering leaflets or pushing their propaganda and insults on blogs like holyer then what are they?
ReplyDeleteEpps and Holyer and Kirby seem to have semi coordinated Tory posts about Lauras resignation on ECR too. Maybe Mallinson should pop up too. Maskell hsdnt blogged in years. Hardly the great hope of Toryism if he isnt in the Tories. Ukip has more Thanet Tories now unless its a cold wintet
ReplyDeleteI think that confirms the point really Peter.
DeleteGood morning, Peter, just switched on my PC to catch up on the blog scene only to find that I stand accused of some anonymous comments earlier in the day. Over on ECR and I am allegedly full of crap (spelt crop which sounds a bit like a vegetarian). Seems that Tories in general, Holyer, Maskell and Kirby, as well as myself, are not the flavour of the moment with you know who. Let us hope his activities do not screw up debate just as it is starting to get interesting again.
DeleteWilliam,
DeleteSeems I'm in good company.
Hopefully, we will be ignored now that Ann Gloag has declared her intention to develop Manston as an airport. Though we might still get some of the blame for the crime of having once served in the RAF.
Now as a Tory activist I will mount my horse, ride into the village and grind a few peasants into the mud.
Good idea, John, can I suggest a peasant to start with, oops, naughty! You know when I was a 'rock' all those years ago, living in some little jungle out post or manning guns on the Jahore coastline, I never thought such service would somehow make me a Manston luvvie.
DeleteNice to see Epps and Holyer sharing their foolish opinions and memories of yesteryear. Let's hope Mallinson joins in to complete the Three Stooges act. Do NOT mention the cancer from Manston though.
DeleteListen, turkey brain, as I no longer live in Thanet my blogging is naturally reduced. I have plenty to do fixing up my new abode and exploring the surrounding countryside, not to mention pubs.
DeleteI still have a browse around my favourite blog sites and, if I see something interesting, I might join in the debate, but certainly nothing you could ever contribute could be classed as remotely that. So why don't you be a good boy, take your tablets and watch the TV. The Telly Tubbies should be right up your street.
Thanks for your absolutely superb contribution Allan. The blogs wouldn't be the same without you.
DeleteBefore the Westgate by-election last year, I felt that it was all or nothing as far as politics went. Afterwards, though I tried to stick with the blogging, I never really had my heart in it. I wont shut the blog down because you can never say never, but politics has been put to one side. I never was the future of the Conservatives.
DeleteJames, but you are the future because you are one of the younger ones. Let's be fair about this, but you were unlucky to catch a mid term election when the trend was against us. It will not always be like that and your time will come. Meantime, I enjoyed your blog and the odd post, if only to keep your hand in, would be much appreciated.
DeleteThank you so much, Anon 3:12, for your kind words. I might give up blog comments if it was not for the encouragement I receive from people like you. So pleased I brightened your day.
DeleteJames, let me endorse what William said. The party needs people like you and I too enjoyed your blog.
Desperate to see the old tories trying to groom young maskell and he's not even a tory. Desperate.
DeleteIf we're all very very quiet we could let Epps and Holyer chat away on this thread so they don't ruin the other blogs? Nice to see pensioners with a hobby in their sunset years.
ReplyDeleteAt least they have sunset years whereas yours are perpetual darkness.
DeleteMichael, if you want to give your kids a head start in life, might I suggest a gluten-free diet?
ReplyDeleteGluten is not fit for human consumption, fact.
It also stops them chewing their paws, fact!
DeleteKids? I thought we were talking about dogs. Too much gluten makes them chew their paws.
DeletePeter, a man after my own heart, bread and dripping with lots of the brown jelly off the bottom of the bowl and 'buppy sugar,' buttered bread with sugar, preferably brown, on top. Another favourite, thick bread, Bovril lightly spread on one side, drizzled with water and then quick fried so it is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. All followed with charging round the common, climbing the trees and looking for lizards and grass snakes.
I rest my case, m'lud.
DeleteWhat case was that exactly, Blue Nose?
DeleteThe case that eating gluten is a mugs game, not that that would interest a pair of muppets like you two, who don't appear to have progressed past childhood.
DeleteAll grains are difficult to digest because they are seeds, intended for procreation and are provided with a protective outer shell. Glutinous grains, such as wheat are especially hard to digest because humans do not produce the necessary enzymes to readily break them down.
As a consequence, foods containing gluten stay in the gut for about four hours after eating, rubbing away at the gut-lining like sandpaper, damaging the gut-lining and destroying the gut flora, both of which are essential for good physical and mental health, because they absorb the minerals and nutrients from our food.
Supermarket food is already lacking in minerals and nutrients, due to modern mass farming techniques, but with a damaged gut lining you may as well be eating cardboard for all the benefit you will derive from it.
Traditionally humans have shied away from eating gluten, because it made them ill and weak, in the past, bread would have been made from corn or oats.
Bread made from wheat is a relatively new concept, a deliberate move by the illuminated ones to weaken us and dumb us down. To make us more susceptible to disease and illness, in order to sell us pharmaceutical drugs, which in turn will create more problems down the road.
The main reason people like eating gluten is that naturally produced opiates are released into the gut to kill the pain from the damage caused by the abrasive action on the gut lining. They are hooked on smack. Which may go some way to explain the feeling of faux satisfaction one gets from sitting down after a meal with a belly full of gluten.
Honestly, you should check it out, this is no BS.
So, Bluebottle, I suppose the ones who are weakening us don't eat any gluten. Just who are these gluten free people and how do we recognise them. Do they shine with good health or something?
DeleteSounds like it's you who has been on the bottle, Cllr. Epps, this is not your usual modus operandi, what?
DeletePressure getting to you, is it?
I think Bluebottle has bottled out Peter!
DeleteBluebottle, see you referred to me at 7:38 yesterday evening when I was not even involved in the debate. Can you please get the message that I comment under my own name and am not responsible for the various anonymous contributors who pop up around the blogs. More than happy to debate with you on issues in which I am interested, but gluten free diets is not one. I am afraid I succumbed to being overweight when I gave up sport some years ago.
ReplyDeleteCllr Epps often posts anonymously. Invariably as foolishly or nastily as his named posts.
ReplyDeleteYou have absolutely no proof of that statement, 10:01, but if it pleases you to think every anon who isn't you must be me, who am I to deny you your pleasures.
DeletePeter you make good points. I have recently completed a challenge and raised a bit of money for Clic Sargent in the process. I am a bit older than you. The Veterans Agency give me a small war disablement pension for lung damage.
ReplyDeleteUsing some mathematical jiggery pokery based on lung function, maximal heart rates etc we worked out a handicapping system. When the maths was applied to rowing machine calls per hour then in a handicap contest I would have been beating Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent combined. So we took a far more generous approach for my opponent who is an endurance event champ. He had only to achieve three times more cals than me. We put in two pure repping unhandicapped weight lifting movements (Seated pulley row and seated press behind head max reps in five minutes)
And of the two aerobic comps I won both and I won one of the weightlifting. So overall 3 to 1 for me. I should have set the press behind head 10 Kg higher to have got all 4.
The important thing is the weight lifting. People who only train aerobic if they cop lung disease are pretty much beggared. Those who spend a life of both aerobic and weight training (such as used to be provided by physical work) are far more resilient. This is to do with the body's 3 energy systems. The smug monkeys running marathons or riding bikes long distance think that by training just the one system they are creating health in the long term.
But you are on the right lines young Peter. Now add some pumping iron and some good mixed protein meals for muscle growth. The classic strength of the English archer ? Complementary proteins known now as an English breakfast. Yep Ham and eggs. Whey. And drink Beer (liquid bread).
Report back when you have put a couple of stones on.
Anon 11:17 am,
DeleteThank you. What you say is interesting and plausible.